May 2020 Services
For general information about the services at St Michaels please see the Services Overview page.
See also "Hymns of the Month" at the bottom of this page.
We are not permitted to hold services in church at this time. But services will be live-streamed.
9.30am Parish Communion: via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst/live.
The service can also be watched after the event. You do not need to have a Facebook account to watch this service.
11.15am Family Service: via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/172324765 Meeting ID 172 324 765. You'll need to download the Zoom app to your device (free). Best to use a laptop or large screen rather than phone.
For more up to date information on these services see https://www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst.
9.30am Parish Communion: via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst/live.
The service can also be watched after the event. You do not need to have a Facebook account to watch this service.
11.15am Family Service: via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/172324765 Meeting ID 172 324 765. You'll need to download the Zoom app to your device (free). Best to use a laptop or large screen rather than phone.
For more up to date information on these services see https://www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst.
An introduction to the Sermon series on 1 Peter (reproduced from the May Newsletter) is here.
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Sunday 3 May 9.30am Parish Communion
Theme: A Matter Of Identity
Acts 2:42-47 1 Peter 2:1-10 John 10:1-10 
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Sunday 3 May 11.15am Family Service
Theme: True Happiness (the Beatitudes)
Matthew 5:1-12 Please have ready paper and pens. See the link to this service at the top of the page.
6.30 pm Contemplative Evening Prayer at www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst/live | ||||
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Sunday 10 May 9.30am Parish Communion
Theme: Living In The World
Acts 7:55-60 1 Peter 2:11-3:7 John 15:18-27 There's no order of service to download, as the words of the liturgy and hymns will be displayed on your screen. See link to the service at the top of the page.
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Sunday 10 May 11.15am Family Service
Theme: Dealing with Anger
Matthew 5:21-24, & 5:43-48 See the link to this service at the top of the page. 6.30 Sandhurst Churches Together service on "Hopes for a Better World", based on the theme of VE Day. You can take part interactively on Zoom, or you can watch it at www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst/live.
To join the service live on Zoom, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82116131215 Or you can go to https://zoom.us/join and type in the Meeting ID: 821 1613 1215 | ||
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Sunday 17 May 9.30am Parish Communion
Theme: Witnessing For Christ
1 Peter 3:8-22 John 14: 15-21
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Sunday 17 May 11.15am Family Service
Theme: The Joy of Giving
Matthew 6:2-4,19-21 See the link to this service at the top of the page. Update: due to technical problems, this service has been postponed. We will post the new date/time on Facebook. 6.30 pm Memorial Service: an opportunity to remember a loved one who has died, with readings and music. You can watch it at www.facebook.com/StMichaelsSandhurst/live
(you don't need to have a Facebook account to watch it). | ||
Thursday 21 May 8.15 pm (Ascension Day) Communion Service PLEASE NOTE REVISED TIME
Theme: Risen Ascended Glorified
Acts 1:1-11
Luke 24:44-53
Acts 1:1-11
Luke 24:44-53
The full text of Rev Jane Kraft's sermon is below:
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Sunday 24 May 9.30am Parish Communion
Theme: Sharing Christ's Sufferings
1 Peter 4:12 - 5:14 John 17:1-11 The sermon by Rev John Castle is below:
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Sunday 24 May 11.15am Family Service
Theme: How to Pray
Matthew 6:5-13 6.30 pm Sung Evensong. Rev John White's sermon on Revelation 21:1-8 is below:
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Sunday 31 May (Pentecost) 9.30am Parish Communion
Theme: Living as Disciples
Acts 2:1-21 1 Peter 4:1-11 John 7:37-39 The text and the video recording of Rev Jane Kraft's sermon are below.
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Sunday 31 May (Pentecost) 11.15am Family Service
Theme: Pentecost
Acts 2:1-21 Bishop Olivia's Pentecost sermon can be watched here:
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Hymns of the Month
These two hymns were both written by German authors in the seventeenth century, a century that saw war in several countries, as well as a pandemic in several countries.
Now Thank we All Our God
Now Thank we all our God was written by Martin Rinkart who served in the walled town of Eilenburg, Germany during the 30 years war of 1618 – 1648. Eilenburg was a refuge city and people fled there from famine and in the start of 1637 the Plague came. However Rinkart still served God by ministering to those in the city especially to the poor and needy. At the end of the war, the Swedish army surrounded the city demanding a large ransom from the impoverished and starving town. Rinkart knew the situation and tried to negotiate a lower amount, only to be rejected. When this happened, Rinkart returned to the city saying “Come, my children, we can find no hearing, no mercy with men, let us take refuge with God.” As a result of the prayers, the Swedish general was moved to lower his price to less than five percent of the original sum. After almost thirty years of war, peace was in sight and Rinkart wrote this hymn - A reminder to be grateful to God for all things, at all times.
In this present situation, in the midst of an outbreak of disease, being under restrictions about our movement to protect both the lives of others as well as our own, this hymn is particularly important, it is a reminder that prayer can achieve miracles and that God’s love has been with us “from our mother’s arms” and “still is ours today”
In this present situation, in the midst of an outbreak of disease, being under restrictions about our movement to protect both the lives of others as well as our own, this hymn is particularly important, it is a reminder that prayer can achieve miracles and that God’s love has been with us “from our mother’s arms” and “still is ours today”
All My Hope on God is Founded
This hymn was written by Joachim Neander who wrote 60 hymns (including “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty the King of Creation”) but he died at the age of 30 in 1680. He was a member of the German Reformed Church, and was strongly influenced by Philip Spener, the founder of Pietism (a branch of Lutheranism). Pietism places an emphasis on Christian living.
This hymn encourages us to trust God rather than placing our trust in earthly matters, including pride and glory.
God’s goodness lasts a lifetime and does not pass away, which is one of the reasons why we should trust Him compared to earthly rulers and secular aspects. God is with us at all times but more importantly, he is the person we turn to when things are confusing, or as the hymn puts it “me through change and chance he guideth, only good and only true”
An interesting side note: Joachim Neander enjoyed the outdoors, and used to spend much time in the lovely Dussel River Valley. After his death, grateful people honored Neander by naming the valley after him. In German, “thal” means valley, so the name of the valley became Neanderthal. Nearly two centuries later in 1856, an ancient skeleton was discovered in that valley. It became known as the Neanderthal Man because of the name of the valley in which the skeleton was discovered. So the Neanderthal Man was named after the valley that was earlier named after the writer of this hymn.
This hymn encourages us to trust God rather than placing our trust in earthly matters, including pride and glory.
God’s goodness lasts a lifetime and does not pass away, which is one of the reasons why we should trust Him compared to earthly rulers and secular aspects. God is with us at all times but more importantly, he is the person we turn to when things are confusing, or as the hymn puts it “me through change and chance he guideth, only good and only true”
An interesting side note: Joachim Neander enjoyed the outdoors, and used to spend much time in the lovely Dussel River Valley. After his death, grateful people honored Neander by naming the valley after him. In German, “thal” means valley, so the name of the valley became Neanderthal. Nearly two centuries later in 1856, an ancient skeleton was discovered in that valley. It became known as the Neanderthal Man because of the name of the valley in which the skeleton was discovered. So the Neanderthal Man was named after the valley that was earlier named after the writer of this hymn.